Social Media

Follow for Good: Mashable's #FollowFriday Picks

Every week, thousands of Twitter users recommend friends and favorite accounts to follow on the service. Recently, the creator of FollowFriday explained how the trend began in the Mashable article #FollowFriday: The Anatomy of a Twitter Trend, and we also produced a short post on FollowFriday for beginners called How FollowFriday Works - take a look if you're new to the concept.

What if we could all use this opportunity to drive attention to those using social media for good? We thought that sounded like a positive step, so this week we're highlighting 5 great causes, charities and non-profits to follow on Twitter. Which 5 "follow for good" Twitter accounts should we recommend next Friday? Let us know in the comments!

Follow Friday: Recommended Twitter Follows

1. Earth Hour

@earthhour - Earth Hour 2009 takes place on Saturday March 28th (tomorrow), asking everyone around the world to turn off their lights for one hour at 8:30pm local time. We recommend following for information on the campaign and wider global warming topics. Current follower count: 7,045

2. Stand Up to Cancer

@SU2C - Dedicated to accelerating groundbreaking cancer research and saving lives, Stand Up To Cancer is a cause we can all get behind. Follow this charitable services fund on Twitter for cancer information and fundraising drives. Current follower count: 2,048

3. 12 for 12K

@12for12k - 12for12K has a tagline that we wholeheartedly support: "changing the world through social media". Each month, this online challenge tries to raise $12K for a chosen charity. This month they've exceeded all expectations, raising $15,000+ for ShareOurStrength, a nonprofit working to end childhood hunger in the United States. Current follower count: 370

4. Save the Children

@savethechildren - In its mission to create lasting change for children worldwide, Save the Children currently tweets around once per day with creative ways you can help the cause. Current follower count: 1,726

5. Livestrong

@livestrong - The cancer charity founded by Lance Armstrong is now 11,000 strong on Twitter. Follow for the latest news on cancer fighting initiatives, particularly those that leverage social media. Current follower count: 11,427

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